HCMC launches the Centre for the Industrial Revolution 4.0

Speaking at the workshop "Ho Chi Minh City Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) - New Sustainable Growth Engine", Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh CityPeople's Committee Vo Van Hoan stated that Ho Chi Minh City is a major centre for economy, finance, trade, culture, science and technology, innovation, education, and training in the southern key economic region and the whole country.

To maintain its role as the country's economic locomotive and gradually become the economic centre of the Southeast Asian region, Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on improving the quality of growth, enhancing the content of science and technology, adding value, and gradually transforming the economy towards "digital" and "green."

Moreover, with its geographical position and natural conditions, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the 10 cities in the world most threatened by climate change. This poses significant challenges, affecting many sustainable development goals of the city.

To address these challenges, according to Mr Vo Van Hoan, Vietnam in general, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular, are presented with an opportunity to catch up with the technological era through the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is happening vigorously on a global scale.

Currently, the development of breakthrough technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G technology, biotechnology, semiconductor technology, and new energy, is significantly impacting all aspects, from security and politics to the economy and society.

"To cope with challenges and seize opportunities, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the World Economic Forum have signed a cooperation agreement to establish the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Ho Chi Minh City in the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Mr Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum", Mr Vo Van Hoan said.

The event marks an important milestone in the partnership between Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and the World Economic Forum. Through this, the World Economic Forum can support Ho Chi Minh City specifically and Vietnam in general in achieving the aspirations for innovation, creativity, and growth through enhanced international cooperation and connectivity, leveraging resources.

"The C4IR Center in Ho Chi Minh City will be located in the Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park, one of the three national high-tech parks in Vietnam, playing a strategic role in shaping leading industries to drive innovation.

This area has formed technology ecosystems in line with the trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including semiconductor technology, biotechnology, new materials, drones, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT)...

Thus, the interaction between the C4IR Center and the Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park will become a new driving force for sustainable development for Ho Chi Minh City, creating strong spillover effects in the Southeast region and the whole country in the time ahead," Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Vo Van Hoan concluded.

Mr Nguyen Anh Thi, Head of the Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park, mentioned that the C4IR Center in Ho Chi Minh City will be the brain centre of Vietnam, advising on national industrial policies, piloting the implementation of national industrial policies in Ho Chi Minh City, and promoting economic transformation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Moreover, the C4IR Center in Ho Chi Minh City aims to be a platform not only to assist Ho Chi Minh City but also to assist the whole country in shaping the development of fourth industrial revolution strategies that align with the country's overall development strategy and contribute to the global technology development trajectory.

"The C4IR Center in Ho Chi Minh City, together with the collaboration and synergy of founding members, including leading technology enterprises in Vietnam, and leveraging the knowledge and experience of the global C4IR network, will provide support, advice, proposals, and recommendations for solutions, policies, and initiatives in line with the national direction and international technology trends", Mr Thi informed.

It is expected that the C4IR Center in Ho Chi Minh City - the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Center will be launched in Ho Chi Minh City in September 2024.